2009 Bmw M3 Base Convertible W/ 31k! on 2040-cars

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BMW can't build enough M3 wagons, but the U.S. won't see any

Why, oh why, won’t the automobile companies that supposedly cater to Americans give us a viable touring wagon? Seems that BMW is one manufacturer thatÂ’s aware of the question, but skirts the answer. WhatÂ’s more frustrating is that the German company, and others, have for years been off-handedly tossing out the same refrain: “Maybe weÂ’ll bring a wagon back to the U.S.” Not. All the more irritating then is the news that the Bavarians have increased production in Munich of its M3 Touring longroof version to keep up with demand. The information comes via Bimmer Today, which spoke with BMW M CEO Frank van Meel. He said that the company was surprised by the amount of interest in the M3 Touring since its debut during last year's Goodwood Festival of Speed. In fact, he said, the company had to facilitate a production ramp-up within its Munich facility. Despite that increased production, the backlog of orders means that customers are still on wait lists, he said. Last year, van Peel admitted that demand for M-wagons in the U.S. has been steadily increasing, and exporting a touring example was a concept BMW was "taking into consideration.” Crossovers certainly are this decadeÂ’s version of the wagon, which leaves American enthusiasts will few choices: only expensive versions from Audi, Volvo and Mercedes-Benz and a couple of others. Details that were announced last year — a few months before the wagon went into production for sale in Europe, the U.K. and elsewhere — noted that the M3 Touring was only available in Competition spec with xDrive all-wheel drive and a 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-six with 503 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque. Pricing started at GBP80,550 ($105,000 U.S.) More data on the M3Â’s intro here. Related video:

Google reveals Alphabet, but BMW already owns that trademark

Google co-founder Larry Page unveiled a surprise restructuring yesterday with the announcement of Alphabet, a new company that owns Google and all of its semi-related products. Google's stock soared five percent directly after the announcement, the world was busy dissecting the meaning of alpha and bet, and things looked rosy for the new company. However, there could be one problem: BMW owns the trademark and .com domain for "Alphabet." And it doesn't want to sell, a spokesperson tells the New York Times. BMW's Alphabet provides service packages to corporations with vehicle fleets. In terms of trademark infringement, it's no problem for two companies to have the same name, as long as there's no possibility of confusion for customers. In this case, there is at least one clear connection between the two organizations: BMW is a car manufacturer and Alphabet owns Google, which has a line of self-driving cars. BMW is looking into the possibility of trademark infringement, NYT reports. As for the Alphabet domain, Google's new company has secured abc.xyz, so BMW can continue using alphabet.com without worry – except for the apparent traffic overload that hit the site after Page's announcement. Google's Alphabet has a different domain issue to tackle: China has blocked its new site, despite expansive local coverage of the restructuring, Fast Company reports. This article by Jessica Conditt originally ran on Engadget, the definitive guide to this connected life. News Source: The New York TimesImage Credit: Associated Press Government/Legal BMW Technology trademark alphabet

2015 BMW M3 and M4 configurator launched, no lunch hour safe

BMW has just made your lunch break a little more interesting by launching the configurators for the M3 and M4. Pricing and options for the new sports coupe and sedan was revealed just a few days ago, but it's always more fun to see the visual effect your personalizations have on the bottom line.
The M3 and M4 start at $62,000 and $64,200, respectively, without a $925 destination charge. However, as soon as the configurator is opened, both models default with metallic paint ($550) and the M Double-clutch Transmission ($2900), plus extended leather on the M3 ($950) and full leather on the M4 ($3,500). This is basically the way they were shown when displayed at auto shows. Of course, there's nothing preventing users from setting up these performance machines however they like.
So sit down at your desk with a cup of coffee or a sandwich and create your perfect German sport sedan or coupe. It's always fun to see how much money can be spent on a dream car.